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Poverty Today is the Polio of the 1950s

  Clasp.org discusses the polio epidemic of the 1950s that crippled tens of thousands of people every year – and was eliminated by 1979 due to a massive public health effort. The post also highlights that the Academic Pediatric Association (APA) Task Force on Childhood Poverty recently declared that childhood poverty is on par with polio in the 1950s as the most important problem facing American children today. While the APA Task Force acknowledges that there is no [...]

By |2013-05-21T10:38:10-04:00May 21st, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health|
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Consider Investing Today – Every $1 You Invest in Advocacy Provides a Return of $115 in Community Benefits

A few weeks ago, we met the grandparents pictured left, who have taken on the role of raising their 4-year old grandchild. This scenario of grandparents and relatives raising their kin is becoming more and more common in Kentucky. In fact, estimates suggest there are approximately 63,000 children across the state being cared for by relatives other than their parents. The state recently stopped accepting new applications for the Kinship Care Program which supports people, [...]

By |2013-05-16T11:48:35-04:00May 16th, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|
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Payday Loans are “No Hassle” until You Try to Pay Them Back

You have probably seen those storefronts that promise “quick cash” or “instant loan approval.” In reality – these kinds of “payday loans” result in long term debt – not quick financial fixes. On average, Kentucky payday lenders keep borrowers indebted for 137 days a year – much longer than the advertised 2-week loan. Kentucky payday lenders charge an average of $15.00 per $100 borrowed, plus additional fees every two weeks. This means payday loans carry [...]

By |2013-05-14T09:00:46-04:00May 14th, 2013|Blog, Economic Security|
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Complete Streets are Safe for Everyone

Over the past couple of years, I've had the pleasure of working with the Kentucky Heart Foundation and the Ashland Boyd County Health Department as they aim to make streets safer and friendlier to all users of the road. I've been so impressed with how the small communities in this area are stepping up and promoting complete streets. Complete streets involve building and designing roads to accommodate all users, and, in turn, can increase opportunities [...]

By |2013-05-13T10:00:47-04:00May 13th, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Health|
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Recent Kentucky Health Issues Poll Shows Oral Health Coverage and Access Lacking in Kentucky

As a recent Master of Public Health graduate from the University of Louisville (U of L), I spent the past two years focusing on prevention as the key to alleviate health issues. However, I don’t recall having any discussions about oral health during my time at U of L. Unfortunately, oral health was not considered a “hot issue” in my program, so I wasn’t aware of the oral health problems that Kentuckians face until my recent [...]

By |2013-05-08T11:00:00-04:00May 8th, 2013|Blog, Health|
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Thursday, May 9, is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day

National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day is this Thursday, May 9. Organizations throughout the country are planning events to raise awareness about the importance of children's mental health and that positive mental health is essential to a child's healthy development from birth. Over 12 percent of children ages 2-17 in Kentucky are taking medication for ADHD, emotions, concentration or behavioral issues, compared to almost 8 percent of children ages 2-17 nationwide, according to parent responses [...]

By |2013-05-07T10:00:02-04:00May 7th, 2013|Blog, Health|
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Cabinet Hosting Medicaid Managed Care Forums Across KY – Eastern KY Forums this Week!

Governor Beshear has directed the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) to initiate enhanced educational efforts to improve the Medicaid managed care implementation system. At the Governor’s request, CHFS will sponsor educational forums in each of the eight Medicaid regions. These forums are designed to allow medical providers, managed care organization (MCO) representatives, and Department of Insurance (DOI) representatives to meet face-to-face to discuss concerns about proper billing, appeals processes and any specific regional [...]

By |2013-05-06T09:54:39-04:00May 6th, 2013|Blog, Health|
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A Sure-Fire Bet for Kentucky Kids

When it comes to March Madness, I think I am an expert.  I look at every rating system known to mankind.  I compare offensive and defensive efficiencies of each team.  I analyze the relative strength of every conference.  And the result?  Well, all four granddaughters beat me (and the two youngest are only three years old!) but I did edge out my four year old grandson in our family bracketology contest!  When it comes to [...]

By |2013-05-02T11:55:19-04:00May 2nd, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Youth Justice|
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New Ad Campaign Calls for Medicaid Expansion in Kentucky

Today, Kentucky Voices for Health (KVH) launched a new ad campaign asking Gov. Steve Beshear to expand Medicaid to adults and parents up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level under the Affordable Care Act. Listen to the ad below. Kentucky Youth Advocates is a proud member of KVH. Join us in asking Governor Beshear to take this opportunity to improve the health of Kentucky’s children and families. There are many reasons to expand Medicaid. [...]

By |2013-04-30T11:11:41-04:00April 30th, 2013|Blog, Health|
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Do You Believe in Miracles?

Which of these are more likely to happen: Mitch McConnell donning his best tux for the private screening of Ashley Judd’s new movie; John Calapari sporting his new gear celebrating the Cards’ smashing NCAA championship run; or Senior officials from the Kentucky Department of Education and the Jefferson County Schools agreeing with Kentucky Youth Advocates on alternative programs? Until a couple of weeks ago, I actually thought the first two scenarios were more likely! On [...]

By |2013-04-29T11:16:41-04:00April 29th, 2013|Blog, Education, Health, Youth Justice|
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